Latch



'E. CROMPTON AKND C. L. CROOKS. LATCH. u

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 20,1920.

E Reissued gm. 5., 1920.

f LuvENTons `of its travel and with its UNITEDl STA TES", PATENT OFFICE.

LATCH.

Original No. 1,281,144, dated October 8, 1918A Serial No. 228,530, filed April 15, 1918.

1 reissue filed August 20, 1920.

To all whom it may concern.:

Beit known that we, EDWIN CRoMP'roN and CHARLES United States, and residentsof Pueblo, in the county of Pueblo and State of Colorado, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Latches, of which the following) is a full, clear, and exact description.

ur invention is an improvement in latches and, while of general applicability, it is especiall adapted for use on automobile doors. 'Ille principal object of our invention is the provision of a combined latching and locking device, in which both the latching and locking operations are automatically performed by the act of closing the door and iny which a'single movement will both unlatch and unlock without the use of keys or the like.

Further and more particular objects and advantages of our invention pear from this specifcation.- t

In the single sheet of drawings accompanying this` application and forming a part hereof v j j Figure l is a partial vertical section and partial sideelevation vof a latch and keeper embodying ourinvention, the parts being shown in locked position;

F ig. 2 is a 4vertical section through the will later aplatch portion of the device illustrated lin Fig. 1, the parts being shown in unlocked f position; and

Fig. 3 is a horizontal section taken on the broken'line 3--3 of ig. 1. l l Referring to the drawings, inwhichnlike characters designate like parts in theseveral views, it .fwill be seen that. our latch I comprises a casing having parallel side members 10 anda face plate 11.` This cas-- ing is preferably open at the top and bottom and at the rear save for `a transverse brace 12 'whichalso forms a guide for 'a horizontal `plunger 13. This `plunger preferably has a" reduced rear portion as.4 shown which is encircled by a spring14 `which tends to maintain the plunger at the right curved end'l projecting well -beyond'the face plate 11. A .stop 16 serves to limit the extent of the protr'usion'` of .the horizontal lunger.l There is a transverse horizontal race 17 t extending t between the 'side plates 10 and this brace has a circular opening therein. t `Within this `opening there is Specification of Reissued Letters Patent.

L. CRooKs, 'citizens of the` 'tain-ed therein by the finger 2l which is outer slightly l Reissued Oct. 5, 1920.

Application for .Serial No. 404,917.

its upper end with an operating knob 19 and in its shank adjacent the horizontal plunger with a square `shouldered notch 20. To the lower end of the plunger 18 there is pivotally connected a finger 21 which finger is mounted on a spindle 22journaledin the side members 10. A spring 23 connected to the finger 21 and to the cross brace 17 tends always to raise `the plunger and its conlliected linger 21 to the position lshown in tig. 1. j j The latchingmechanism comprises a leaf spring 24 secured at its lower end to the inner side of the face plate 11 and carrying at its upper end a substantially semi-spherical knob 25. The knob 25 is *so located as to travel in a circular recess 26 in the face plate 1l, being. substantially withdrawn therethrough when the leaf spring 24 is forced back. A st op 27 is located at the rear of the'knobj25 in such position as to engage the linger 21 throw ofthe same.

The. preferred form of keeper for use with our latch is. shown in side view in Fig.l 1 and in cross keeper comprises a semi-spherical recess l28 adapted toreceive the similar shaped knob 25 and an inclinednsurface' 29 above therecess 28v is in position to engage the face 25 vof the horizontal plunger 13.

vside-thereof forja purpose later to be described.

Operation.

v previously stated the partsl are shown in Fig. 1in locked position, the knob 25 being `home in the recess 28 and being r e 1n a position substantially at rightr angles. to

the"leaf spring`24 and bears thereagainst.

The device will preferably be mounted with the knob 19 in convenient position to be operated from the upper edge of the door.

Pressure v,on theknob 19 will depress the plunger 18, thus vswinging the finger 21 to the position lshown in Fig. 2 and out of contact with the leaf spring 24. If now the parts be held in this position a gentle ressure against the door will cause the nob action of the spring v24 on account of the" section in Fig. 3. `This v25 to be forced out of its socket 4against the shape given the knob and its socket andthe door maynow befepenedj.-l As the face 15 `of the horizontal plunger 13 passes Aout over the surface 29 the spring 14 will shoot the#V horizontal plunger 13 to the position shown-- infFig. 2 and the unreduced portionhlwvillenter the notch 2() in the vertical plunger 18; thusl thev plunger '13 yfacts" as a Ycatc`hto retain the parts in the position" shoWnin Fig. 2 as long as the door is open.l 'If' the do'or' be frced shutv the kii'ob"25 will still be free^t`o` passaronnd the' surface 31' Lon the keeper *plate and' snap back into" its" 'socket 28 but the horizontal Aplunger 1'3- yvvill be forced to the "rear by the' surface 1'5 taveling overth'ey surface 29 of the keeperfand as the device reaches the" positionshovvii in 1 and'l 3 this movement of `13"'vvill be such" as to" bring" the ntch BOfully opposite thejlve'rtieal' plunger 18' yand this plunger Willx` be raised bythe vspring 23t'o bringthe finger 21 tolposition against the stop 27. W'henintliis/position' the parts are securely lo' zl il.I v

While we' considerable detfail'jv it nwill be obviousthat many 'changesin vtl'iesef details and arrangement yof parts maybe made Without departing' frr'iiour invention and=we do not,[tl`iere' fore, desireto bejconsidered as limitedl to v the precise'fri'n shown" and described'.

Having'thus ydescril'ied our, in-i'fention what lWe claimt anddesire to secureby Letters Patent is:

1. aidd'evice oftlieclass described, a latch"and"kee`per, saidA latch` vcomprising a member 'resili'entlv projected therefrom, an oscillating finger inl position to engage. said meinberlin*'nrinalposition of Ythe' device to locl'tli'e lin'einlfier in projected position, a plunger 'con'r ected to said finger `to move the finger vfromvthe .path yof said. member, a

spring i tending tof resist such' action, f and spring pressed means adapted to vengage said plunger vto retain saidfinger in inop-V erative position.;

2. In a device of-"tlieclass.r described, ka Ylatch andrkeeper,V said latch comprising a member resilientlv' projectedtherefro'm, an oscillatingr finger in position to engage said ineiiber in norinalj position cfA thedevice to flockv thefmember in projected position, `a plunger'connected to sa-idfinger to movethe finger -froiii the pathA of said member, a spring tendingv to resist such action, anda I catch adapted .to engage saidplungerto-retairfsaid finger inoperative position While thelatch is away from the keeper.`v

Inflf -devic'evof the class described,za

latch and: keeper'psaid latch` lcomprising ar Ineinljer.A resiliently projected'- therefrom,an

l oscillating finger in position to engage said member in normal position of Vthe device to .leek the ineinber in projectef.I position, fa `p`lun`gerconnected to said finger to move theY vthe device, a plunger have described'our device inl plinger;

i and means con finger yfrom the path of said member, a springt-ending tonresistfsuchr action, and a spring pressed catch adapted to engage said plunger to retain said finge-r in inoperative spring pressedv knob projecting therefrom,

an oscillating finger in position to engage the rear of said" knob f inA` normal position of the device, a plunger connected to said finger to depress the same, la springV tending to' resist such action, and 'a -c'atch' adapted to engage saiddplungerto retain said. finger inperativeposition'I While' the laftc'lii's away fr'oin the keeper;

5.1Ina device of the classfdescrib'ech' a latch?. andl keeper, said latchjcom'prisinga spring pressed knob proj ecting: therefrom, a`n` oscillating' rfinger` in position toVv engage the-*rear of said .knob'in'nor'i'n'al position of connected to said vfinger to depress the saine', a spring' tending'to resist such action, vand .a spring; pressed catch' adaptedA to engage saidl plunger' to retain the same' in' depressed- ,positio'in said keeper comprising@ recess .adaptedjto receive'. said adaptedft; repress said' 'catch' to' free said n a device .ofthe classV described, a-

latch? land" keeper, saidV latchf 'Y comprising a Y face pl'a'te having an opening) ther-ein, va.

knob, aleaf springfsecured to s'aidfa'ce plate at one-,endand mounting saidknob at its free end in position to projectth'rough thel opening in the faceplate, a rotatable spindle Ahavinga` finger projecting therefromlin position to engage thereai' of said spring', a stopon said spring infv the path of said finger, a plunger connectedpto-said linger to depress the same', 4a spring tending 'to resist'sucli action, said vplunger-having a .i

notch. therein, a spring pressed catchadaptedf to reciprocate inr'the patch offsaid `notch and by engaging tlie same to hold lsaid plunger in depressed pos'ition,l said catch also having 2 av notch, therein Which permits said plunger to travel". when, said catch is repressed, said keeper .comprisingfa recess adaptedto receive. saidr knob andan :inclined face adaptedto Irepress said catch.v

' 7, In a lock or latch', the combination of a l 120 kicking bolt, a device for retaining said bolt .in` its locking position, 4such device bef ingmovable to release or4 unlocksaichbolt,

trollable by a keeper; onthe door frame' fr retaining said device .inaY position inwhich said bolt is released, orA

unlocked.,,

s". Vv`n1 2 .niet orV iger, the damnation with a casing, of, a lockingbolt projecting fromfthe front-ofthe-cas'ing, a de vice ,f `)r v vretai ing said vbolt in its lockingvposition,

nob Vand an inclinedlsurface vk9.5

such device projecting from the upper part of the casing and being manually movable to a position to release or unlock said locking bolt, a second bolt also projecting from the front of said Casing for retaining said device in aposition in which said locking bolt is released or unlocked, and spring means for actuating said bolts and device.

9. A combined latch and lock comprising a casing, a manually depressible plunger having a part accessible from the exterior of said casing, a device extending across said plunger for retaining the same in its unlocking position, a spring pressed locking element projecting from' said casing and 15 meansvvhereby said element is looked when said retaining device is actuated.

In testimony whereof We have hereunto aixed our signatures.

EDWIN CROMPTON. CHARLES L. CROOKS. 

